Filipino Seafarers to Undergo Anti-Piracy Training

Over 280,000 Filipino maritime officers and seamen aboard inter-ocean vessels are now being required to undergo ‘anti-piracy’ training’.

The Filipino maritime officers are being asked to undergo the said training before they can be allowed to board the ships of their deployment. Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) Undersecretary for Special and Ocean Concerns Jose S. Brillantes said this is a ‘mandatory’ requirement under the Manual o International Maritime Organization (IMO).

In this regard, the Associated Marine Officers and Seamen’s Union of the Philippines (AMOSUP) recommended that experts from the Philippine Navy and the Philippine Coast Guard train the Filipino seafarers.  

The proposal for the Navy and the PCG to train Filipino seafarers on anti-piracy was first made by AMO- SUP through one of its top official, retired Navy Chief Vice Admiral Eduardo Ma. R. Santos during a tripartite conference on anti-piracy last December 2009 and January 2010

The proposal was very much welcomed by seafarers who they also said it’s “a cost-efficient way to train”. Both the Philippine Navy Men and Coast Guards are well trained on anti-piracy, anti- smuggling, anti-narcotics and other anti-crime operations at sea. To have our local experts train the seafarers would definitely be less expensive than hiring foreign trainers.